Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Pardon & Fils – Gamay – 2025
Beaujolais Nouveau – Beaujolais – France 🇫🇷

Overview
A fun, fresh, early-release Gamay showcasing the hallmark vibrancy of Beaujolais Nouveau. Released annually on the third Thursday of November, this wine is crafted through carbonic maceration (intracellular fermentation) to create an ultra-fruity, youthful, and juicy profile meant for immediate enjoyment.

Aromas & Flavors
Bursting with red cherry, strawberry, raspberry candy, and hints of banana peel, classic Nouveau signatures. Light floral notes and playful freshness keep it lively.

Mouthfeel
Light-bodied, soft tannins, and bright acidity. Smooth, juicy, and easy to sip with a refreshing, gulpable finish.

Food Pairings
Charcuterie, roasted chicken, cold cuts, cheese boards, burgers, pizzas, or anything at a Thanksgiving table. Fantastic as a chillable red.

Verdict
A cheerful and charming Beaujolais Nouveau—fruit-forward, uncomplicated, and perfect for a celebratory November pop. Exactly what this style is meant to be: fun, fresh, and festive. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Beaujolais Nouveau is always made using carbonic maceration, where whole grapes ferment inside the berry, producing super-fruity aromas and soft tannins. It’s one of the world’s fastest wines from harvest to bottle, just weeks. — 24 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Pardon the label. A humidity malfunction in one of my wine fridges. Luscious and sweet on the front palate yet finishes dry with diminishing acid and an attractive acidic bitterness on the back palate. Quince, nectarine, peach and apricot with that moreish bitterness. A beautifully made new world Pinot Gris which is dangerously moreish. I will now open an Alsatian Pinot Gris to compare. I’m tipping the Dry River to prevail. — 4 years ago

Richard Benitez

8.9

Big and juicy, slight metallic nose. Dry yet balanced juice, not sweet but very balanced. — 4 years ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Medium ruby in color; black cherries, hibiscus, and violets on the nose; high acidity; fine grained, medium plus tannins; tastes like cherries, pomegranates, blackberries, and crushed gravel with a long finish. I love it, and Nellie says it's ok. Do not decant this wine. It lost some of its aromas after an hour. — 9 months ago

with Nellie

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Such a beautiful wine on its own and with the Cover Ribs from Allen Brothers. Beautiful fruit and earth. Merlot from any other place barks up St. Emilion ass. Pardon my French. Crazy outstanding for the $25-$30 I paid upon release. @ChateauIsbel — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2018 vintage. Cedar, plum, allspice, spearmint, graham cracker and burnt rubber (fleetingly) in the immediate nose that slants positively ancient without being musty. Medium-medium heavy body. Spicy cherry-plum combo on the rolling finish that thins out slightly body wise but throws in a slight, milk-chocolate texture gift. Intriguing for sure. Not as rustic and playful as the 2017 effort…this one is much more mysterious, less straightforward and supremely desirable/delicious. Drinking beautifully now and expecting no less for the next 15-20 years. Pardon the water spots...in too big a rush to crack this. — 4 years ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

Delicious, balancing 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot against 22 months in French oak, 45% new; it is straight-up YUMMY (pardon my French). Lively cassis, blue plum and violet play with silky tannins and lightly peppered vanilla bean. It was well-composed but surprisingly refreshing; I’d believe it was twice its 25-dollar price tag—utterly crave-worthy. — a year ago

vickie

9.1

Purchased Total Wine — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Pardon the water damaged label. Aromas of pepper, spice and fresh garden herbs. Almost like the garrigue aromas you get from a Southern Rhone red. Medium weight palate but M+ Intensity. Even though Hawkes Bay is home to probably New Zealand’s best Cabernets like Te Mata Coleraine it also produces excellent cool climate Syrah like this one. Not so special with Pinot Noir here which is grown by a few optimistic producers. Had another bottle on 7th February 2024 with similar notes. I love the pepper but it does need more mid palate fruit. I have a couple of bottles left. I can’t see the need for extended cellaring and will probably drink these in the next 12 to 18 months. Had another bottle on 24th November 2024 with similar tasting notes. Enjoy the pepper. — 4 years ago

Ron R

9.4

Quintessential (pardon the pun) fish and chips with mushy peas, UK style. Drinking a Chardonnay with this, and just popped the Quintessa, which is excellent. Lots of barrel toast on the nose and palate. Very suave presentation with prominent tannins. Pristine ripe cherry fruit profile. Depth and layers are here to stay. — 5 years ago

with Anne-marie